Different Sides
by its.just.plain.toast.for.me
Summary: Sequel to "Can I Simply Blame Naruto". Shikamaru thoughts on this and that, but mainly this or should I say her?
1. Softer Side

**AN: So here it is sequel time xD**

**That means if you haven't read "Can I simply blame Naruto" you'll want to click on to my profile and read it first. You don't have to if you don't want to but really it'll help this make more sense if you do, as there is a subtle reference to the first one, but it won't make that much of a difference. Cookies to anyone who spots the reference and mentions it in a review... and by cookies I mean the warm fuzzy feeling of smartness that you'll get by spotting it =p**

**So anyway these will be short one shots from Shikamaru's point of view around the events of the first fic.**

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**Different Sides**

**Chapter 1: The Softer Side**

Shikamaru shut his eyes when he felt her stir beside him. He heard her sharp intake of breath when she realised her surroundings. He didn't dare open his eyes. That would lead to a troublesome conversation he wasn't ready for. Neither of them were ready for it. So he kept his eyes closed, feigning sleep.

She didn't move again for a few moments. He figured she was plotting her escape, analysing her best option. It was what she did, a part of her he had first noticed at the Chuunin exams and a part he liked, not many people he knew outside of himself pocessed it.

He thought over what she was likely to do. She had to return to Suna today and he knew she wasn't going to hang around and have a deep emotional conversation about what happend. She didn't do emotional conversations. He didn't care for them much either. So it suited him fine. Still it would be nice to have her confirm his assumption that she liked him too.

It was then she slipped from the bed. He felt the sheets tug so slighty and heard her feet touch down on the ground ever so lightly as she did. He would've smiled if he thought she wasn't looking. For someone who was usually so rough and loud around him, to be so careful as to not wake him from his 'slumber' was oddly heart warming, even if the reason behind it wasn't as honourable as he would've liked. It reminded him of what his Dad had said to him.

'_No matter how strong-minded a woman is, she will show kindness to the man she loves..._'

He heard her creep around the room, probably gathering up her belongings.

He heard her hiss a quiet swear. She couldn't find something, he wondered what it was.

He heard the soft ruffling of clothes as she got dressed. Keeping his eyes closed was becoming a challenge.

And he heard the door close ever so lightly behind her as she snuck out. Leaving him alone.

Still he didn't open his eyes. He tried to clear his mind of what had just happened. Tried to pretend she was still next to him, sleeping peacefully. Just for one moment.

Then he opened his eyes. He got up to get dressed. He no longer cared if they wasn't ready for a deep emotional talk. He was going to follow her.

As he was about to go out the door, he paused. A blue hair tie was lying half under one of his pillows on the floor. He smirked, trying to picture her with only three of her four pigtails and then went out the door.

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**AN: Well? You know you just want to review it so please go ahead =p**

**The next chapter will be up soon =D**

**Also you can check out my profile for the ideas bouncing around my head and see what else I'm working on =]**


	2. Worrying Side

**AN: So sorry about the delay but I found this chapter really hard to write... No clue why... but anyway yesterday I started tapping on the chapter after this one when inspiration hit and I managed to get this one done ^^**

**Another reason for the delay was that I changed the plot (not that I have one fully planned out to start with but I did have another plan for this one). I'm trying to keep it to canon at the moment and what I had planned out wouldn't work with that so I started over based on what I had watched.**

**Also I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews so far. A special thank you goes out to Hot Mess 12, who always gives really good constructive reviews and Stainmyheart, who I want to apologize to again over the profile problem I've been having.**

**But enough of me blabbering on, it's the story you all want to read.**

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**WORRYING SIDE**

Shikamaru was still a bit shocked after hearing about the attack on Suna followed by the kidnapping of their Kazekage. Not so much because of the idea that such a powerful ninja like Gaara could be taken down, but that Temari had arrived home to the news after they had...

He wondered how she had reacted. It hadn't featured in the brief for his current mission.

Team Asuma, who had just arrived back from their previous mission had been called- Shikamaru included, to escort the Suna embasador to Konoha for the exams, as well as to see if their allies required any more assistance after the attack.

He'd have to ask Ino about Temari. One of the reasons Team Asuma had probably been asked to do this mission, besides his work with the Chuunin exams, was Ino's ability of aquiring information. It seemed attracted to her, like chips to Choji's mouth.

He had plenty of time to ask her too. It was a three day trip to Suna.

She'd probably jump to conclusions about his inquiry though and unfortunetley for him they would most likely be correct. And then everyone would know. Her skill for information also extending to spreading it as far as possible... He groaned at the thought. He'd never hear the end... Maybe he'd inquire about that technique Sakura had used on Kankuro and try to slip in a question about her. If Temari had stayed with him when he was getting his finger reset and while he waited for news on his friends, she'd definately would be at her brother's side.

"Ino," he asked as their team took a few minute break on the final day of their trek.

He'd had waited patiently for this chance since forming his plan and now was his opportunity. Both Choji and Asuma happened to have to answer nature's call and had excused themselves from the group.

"Can I ask you a question?"

She looked at him confused.

"Uh... Yes?"

He scratched the back of his neck.

"I was wondering about that technique Sakura used on Kankuro? I didn't really get to hear the details on how it works. It sounded ineresting."

He felt his cheeks blush slightly at the fact he was actually going through with this plan. When he thought it now it just sounded lame.

She giggled catching sight of the blush.

_'Great... She thinks I feel awkward asking her a question... She'll think I have a crush on her next... Troublesome...'_

"Well it's really quite simple. You gathered chakra in your hands and transferred it into some water that that you forced into the chest and gathered the poison into," she replied with a sickly sweet smile.

Shikamaru hoped this wasn't her flirting with him.

"Forced?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

Now it was her turn to blush.

"Well you had to push it through their skin. When Sakura did it, Temari and a bunch of medical nin had to hold Kankuro down."

She mentioned her.

Now was his chance. If he asked now, it would seem like a comment in passing and not like he was digging for information. He hoped he wouldn't blow it...

"She was there?"

Ino looked at him shocked, as if the answer was obvious.

"Who Temari? Why wouldn't she be? Kankuro is her brother!"

He had to be nonchalent with his reply, had to act like the ass many believed he was.

"Well. She isn't the touchy feeling kind like. I didn't think she would be overly worried like that."

The look on Ino's face at his response was enough to tell him, that if he had actually been interested in the blond next to him, he had officially wrecked that chance. Not that he minded in the least.

"How could you just assume that of someone! But then again you're a brat of an only child who wouldn't know better! I know for a fact that she was terrified with concern!" She sneered the last part at him before continuing in a matter of factly tone. "In fact Sakura told me when she gave the all clear, Temari callapsed against the wall in relief! So don't you dare make assumptions like that again Shikamaru Nara!"

If Shikamaru hadn't had the mother he had, he wouldn't have been able to keep looking Ino in the eye after her little rant. Luckily for him however he was and this only helped his image of being an ass, which he hoped in turn would help hide his true intent.

"Okay." He replied simply. "Guess I was wrong for once..."

Ino gave him one last glower before storming off across the clearing.

Shikamaru didn't mind. Ino couldn't stay angry at him for long. And anyway he his mind was distracted by one thought...

She had been worried- terriffied even, at the thought of her brother's getting hurt. And he wished nothing more then to see her, to make sure she was okay, or to help to be okay again. Luckily for him, he had to be with her for the next week at least because of the mission and the exams. He just wished that it could be for longer.

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**AN: What did you think? I liked it but I want to know what you think, I'm writing it for my readers like ^^**

**The next chapter I'll try to before the end of the week, as soon as I'm done revising it.**


	3. Angry Side

**AN: Chapter 3 time xD**

**So yeah as I mentioned in the last chapter I was having troubles coming up with a full plot and was trying to keep it close to canon... Well I checked out what arc came next in the Manga and... I'm gonna go AU with this story...**

**Besides that announcement. The first time I finished this at the weekend something was wrong with it... I asked a friend and we went through it. I tried changing it around to make it work better... no clue if it fully worked though, but fingers crossed =]**

**Anyway Enjoy it ^^**

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**Angry Side**

At last they arrived in Suna and Ino was cooling down- she just sniffed if Shikamaru tried to talk to her now. Another few hours and everything would be back to normal between them.

They were all standing in front of the Kazekage's office about to report for their duties. Shikamaru getting ready to knock on the door, when things took an unexpected turn.

"Of all teams, why his!"

Temari's exclamation could be heard easily through the heavy door. Shikamaru's hand stayed by his side instead of reaching for the door. When she was like this she was beyond being just plain troublesome, she was dangerous.

"Kankuro said you would be happy about this."

It was strange to hear Gaara's voiced raised. It seemed as if losing Shukuku had made him more human or at least didn't give him the need to keep his feelings in check like he used to.

"Kankuro! And what makes him feel like he can say things like that?"

Temari's anger was clear. Something was wrong. She shouldn't be this opposed to the team escortng her back. Shikamaru had bad a feeling about the cause of it.

"We both agreed that you coped better then we thought you would after we were hurt. His thought your trip to Konoha was the reason for this."

Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly at this. He had known she had been happier leaving then she had arriving, but not to the extent that she had been able to cope so well with what had happened in her absence.

Temari seemed to be the only one who disagreed.

"That I coped better then you expected! What does that have anything to do with it! And I 'coped'? What does that even mean! I'm not some over emotional girl who cries whenever something bad happens!"

Her voice was raising, even though it he had thought it was at its limit.

"You do when-"

"Hey! That's not the issue at hand here! Why his team?"

She cut across Gaara, something no one did. She was angry alright, but why about his team... or more imprtantly him. He knew what had happened but he couldn't see the reason for her anger...

Gaara was silent for a few moments. Shikamaru leant closer to the door subconsciously, to make sure he didn't miss anything. He couldn't afford to...

"Well Kankuro had reason to believe that the two of you got... closer after your last vist and that's why you're more cheery about everything."

When Temari spoke it was slow.

"Closer? What does that mean exactly?"

The last question she drew out get the full effect of her words.

Shikamaru could barely stand the tension building up. He did not want to know the answer. His hand started to rise in an attempt to knock on the door and break it, but slowly as if his body was telling him he still wanted to hear the answer.

"Well those weren't his words exactly..."

Gaara trailed off again. Shikamaru took this as a bad sign. What could it be that would have him so slow to tell his sister. Then it hit him. He knew. Kankuro knew, he had figured it out.

"Gaara. What did he say?"

Temari's question was softer this time, like that of a person trying to convince someone that their information was of huge importance.

Shikamru knew Gaara would probably fall for it too. Temari was the closest thing he had to a mother his whole life. He had no reason not to feel safe telling her it. His fist snapped up to beat the door to cut Gaara off before it was too...

"He said the two of you must have slept together."

A silence fell in the room beyond the door. Shikamaru's eyes widened as his hand froze centimeters from the door.

Temari's voice eventually came through the door again, but quietly. Her previous anger seeming to have been lost.

"He said what... How did he..." Her voice faded for a bit, but came back again, strongly, determined. "That was a mistake. A stupid mistake. I never-"

The end of Temari's rebuttal was never heard as she was interrupted by a firm rap on the door. Asuma finished the job Shikamaru had started and knocked.

Asuma...

He had heard...

Choji... Ino...

He became accutely aware of their gazes on him.

They had all heard it. Every part. From the truth about what had happened to the fact that he must have misread her... She didn't want him. How could he have been so stupid... Some genius he was.

"Come in."

This was bad...

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**AN: Yeah I cliffhangered you... But really it was planned the whole time. Each chapter looks at a different point of Temari's personality. And what I wanted to cover in one chapter was two separate points hence I had to split it up. Sorry about that. Also I haven't started writing the next part yet. I know what I want to do though so the wait shouldn't be too long. =]**

**Reviews... Speculations... Questions on plot holes that I need to fill...**

**Please let me know ^^**


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